Reconciliation of Work and Family Life as a Condition of Equal Participation in the Labour Market: Main findings

Review of the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action: Women and the Economy

Women still remain the main carers of children and the elderly today. In Europe, women between the ages of 25 to 44 spend three times longer than men in childcare per day. The main findings of the first EIGE Report specifically focus on the topic of the reconciliation of work and family life as a condition of equal participation in the labour market (one of the objectives expressed in the BPfA, area F: Women and the Economy).

These main findings include the main legislative developments at EU level concerning maternity, paternity and parental leave. They further presents the latest available sex disaggregated data for parental leave, for the time spent in different activities, and for the accessibility and availability of care facilities for elderly persons. Also, the use of available childcare services in the EU Member States is presented and discussed.

The findings demonstrate progress in legislative frameworks given that a number of EU Member States have already made changes to allow for the increased involvement of fathers in childcare. Improvements have also been made in the availability and access of childcare services to parents from across the Member States. Nevertheless, women still remain the main carers for children: they are comparatively more involved in part time work to be able to care for children, and therefore work longer paid and unpaid hours than men.